Shloka 4

Adhyāya 352: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Saṃvāda — Uñchavrata-niścaya

Dialogue and the Resolve to Practice Uñchavrata

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत्वा च गुरवे व्यासाय विदितात्मने । तपोयुक्ताय दान्ताय वन्द्याय परमर्षये

Transliteration

namaskṛtvā ca gurave vyāsāya viditātmane | tapoyuktāya dāntāya vandyāya paramarṣaye ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Nachdem ich mich vor meinem Lehrer Vyāsa verneigt habe—dem Selbsterkennenden, der in Askese gefestigt ist, die Sinne gezügelt hat, der Verehrung würdig ist, dem höchsten Seher—werde ich dir die Lehre vom allvortrefflichen universalen Selbst, dem Viśvātman Puruṣa, darlegen, damit verstanden werde, wie der Ursprung vieler Wesen als in einer einzigen Person ruhend bezeichnet wird.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'namaskṛtvā', 'definition': 'having saluted

• having bowed in reverence'}, {'term': 'guru', 'definition': 'teacher

• spiritual preceptor'}, {'term': 'vyāsa', 'definition': 'Vyāsa (Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana), sage and compiler of the Mahābhārata'}, {'term': 'viditātmane', 'definition': 'to one who has known the Self

• self-realized'}, {'term': 'tapo-yuktāya', 'definition': 'endowed with tapas

• devoted to austerity and disciplined practice'}, {'term': 'dāntāya', 'definition': 'to the self-controlled

• one who has subdued the senses'}, {'term': 'vandyāya', 'definition': 'worthy of veneration

• deserving homage'}, {'term': 'paramarṣaye', 'definition': 'to the supreme ṛṣi

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a metaphysical explanation: although countless beings arise, their ultimate source can be described as one Universal Person/Self. The speaker grounds this teaching in reverence for a self-realized, disciplined guru, implying that such knowledge is transmitted through ethical restraint, tapas, and right guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana begins a doctrinal exposition in the Śānti Parva by first offering salutations to his teacher Vyāsa, praising his spiritual qualifications (self-knowledge, austerity, self-control). He then announces his intent to explain how many beings can be said to originate from a single principle/person.